J Korean Soc Med Ultrasound.  1998 Mar;17(1):45-51.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and Coexistent Thyroid Cancer: Assessment with Sonography, Scintigraphy & CT

• Yoo EA
• Kim HS
• Rhee HS
• Kim HJ
• Park SH
• Chae SH

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate US, RI and CT findings of coexistent thyroid cancer with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In 104 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 27 patients with coexistent cancer were reviewed. The assessment of US, RI and CT was done.
RESULTS
Twenty-four out of 27 cases were papillary (89%), 2 follicular (7%) and 1 papillary adenocarcinoma with lymphoma (4%). Sonographically, dominant finding of Hashimotos thyroiditis was heterogeneous (96%) low echoic (79%) parenchyme and most nodules were hypoechoic (88%). Calcifications were observed in 3.2 (50%) malignancies. RI scan showed varying degree of thyroid enlargement in 18 patient (67%), and 15 cold (54%) and 2 hot (7%) nodules. CT findings were as follows.: thyroidal enlargement (79%), heterogeneous enhancement (79%), nodular low density (36%), calcification (21%), cervical lymphadenopathy (21%) and muscle invasion (7%).
CONCLUSION
The sonographic detection of hypoechoic nodule with calcification in Hashimoto's thyroiditis can be a clue of coexistent cancer.

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma, Papillary
Humans
Lymphatic Diseases
Lymphoma
Radionuclide Imaging*
Thyroid Gland*
Thyroid Neoplasms*
Thyroiditis*
Ultrasonography